New & Young Farmers

As the average age of farmers rapidly approaches 60, 25-50% of Oregon’s farmland is set to change hands in the next decade.  Without appropriate steps taken, land currently in the hands of family farmers and ranchers could transfer to industrial agriculture or non-agricultural interests.  This will severely effect how our food is produced, as well as the make-up of our rural communities and local economies. Immediate action is needed to ensure successful land transition and to assist new farmers and ranchers as they enter into agriculture.

The Current Situation

Despite the resurgence of interest in agriculture, the availability of land, resources and educational opportunities for new and young farmers/ranchers are severely limited:

• Few practical farm education programs exist
• The legality of farm internships is unclear, giving many seasoned farmers pause before taking on the training of inexperienced individuals
• Workers safety regulations are prohibitive for employing teenagers, limiting on-the-job training and intergenerational knowledge transfer
• Financial assistance and available capital through traditional lending sources is not readily available as farming is no longer considered a viable profession
• There are nominal state grants for new and young farmers/ranchers

Initial investment for land, infrastructure and equipment is very difficult to achieve:

• This used to be made possible by generational transfer or inheritance, but that is no longer always the case
• As a first generation farmer/rancher in Oregon, one could face hundreds of thousands of dollars in land and start-up costs

Farmers and ranchers need more assistance to adequately pass their land and business onto the next generation:

• Inheritance tax challenges agricultural continuity
• Thorough financial and succession planning is necessary to transfer agricultural land and businesses when all assets and security are tied to land

To the dismay of agrarians, there seems to be a cultural stigmatism associated with making a living off the land as farmers and ranchers face hard work, long hours, and bad pay, however:

• Direct marketing allows farmers and ranchers to receive a fair price for their product and the demand for food from local farmers is accelerating
• More farmers are needed to satisfy demand
• There are countless young people lining up to learn how to farm

Priority Action Items

1.  Establish state grants, low-interest loans and financial assistance for new and young     farmers/ranchers:

• Establish a state-supported revolving loan fund for land purchase, farm/ranch infrastructure development, or marketing needs
• Make State grants readily available to new and young farmers/ranchers, specifically for under-served populations and those practicing socially responsible agriculture

2.  Assist in and increase the access to agricultural land for beginning farmers:

• Allow for the amortization of the cost of land
• Create tax incentives for land-holders to lease to new and young farmers
• Allow new farmers to change land-use designation in one instead of three years, if the land is being used for agricultural purposes
• Assist in partnership and transition options

3.  Support farm-based education:

• Create a legal framework for farm internships
• Reintroduce agriculture/land stewardship in all educational arenas, K-12+
• Establish farm schools and sustainable agriculture vocational programs
• Develop an agricultural curriculum that is hands-on and supports sustainable, socially responsible agriculture
• Continued State support for Farm to School/School Garden Program
• State support for farm business incubator projects, in rural and urban areas
• Offer the farm worker safety certification course for minors in all counties

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